Before BapstWhen Boston College moved to the Heights from its home in Boston's South End, the original library was located in Gasson Hall, where the Honors Library is located now. With only wall space available for books in a room about the size of Bapst Library's lobby, the saturation point was soon reached. Half of the collection eventually had to be piled on the Third Floor corridor of Saint Mary's Hall with library staff shuffling between the two locations to fill requests. As a result of the overcrowding, plans went ahead for a new building.The ConstructionThe Bapst Library, named after the first president of Boston College, Father John Bapst, was the fourth of a projected group of twenty buildings that Father Gasson had envisioned for the new campus. He wished to emulate Oxford University's English Gothic style throughout the group, as being suited to its quiet, suburban locale and the twisting approach from Commonwealth Avenue. The groundbreaking for Bapst Library took place on October 31, 1922; the architectural firm was Maginnis and Walsh, of Boston.By the summer of 1925 work had been completed up to the first story. Due to a lack of funds, a temporary roof was put up and the assembly hall, now the Kresge Reading Room, was put into use. The stacks and the circulation desk were located in the basement. Sunday masses were offered for the public in the auditorium; in fact, the parish of St. Ignatius had its beginnings at those services. Donations were not long in coming, principally a donation from Helen Gargan in memory of her husband Thomas J. Gargan, a prominent Boston lawyer and philanthropist. By late September of 1925 construction resumed, and the dedication of the completed library was held at commencement, June 13, 1928, almost 15 years to the day after the laying of the cornerstone for the first building on the heights, Gasson Hall. Early HistoryBapst was not only distinctive in the richness of its architecture and stained glass, it was richly appointed within as well, with tapestries, oriental rugs, statues and oil paintings in virtually every room of the building. At one point there were 138 paintings in Bapst: Italian paintings from as early as the 14th century, and Spanish, French and Dutch works from the 17th and 18th centuries. Bapst also once housed a large number of 19th century American landscapes from the Hudson Valley school, many 19th and 20th century Irish artworks, and the English drawings and paintings connected with Francis Thompson and the Meynell family. Gargan Hall once displayed a distinctive collection of Japanese color prints from the 18th and 19th centuries, the Golden Age of Japanese print-making. In the Ladies Lounge alone there were ten such oil paintings for full public view. All of these artworks now belong to the Boston College Art Museum, and are put on display periodically.In 1952, the Friends of the Library made an impressive addition to Bapst with the gift of the Irish Windows. In the opinion of many who see them, these vivid windows are the greatest treasures in a building that is already a virtual palace of stained glass. Library Moves to O'NeillBefore too many more years, though, even this library began to succumb to the overflow of books that had burdened its predecessor. The auditorium had been given over to stacks, but the overall space was not suited to the needs of a modern, growing university. Plans were made, construction began and in 1984 the books from Bapst were moved to the brand new library named after "Double Eagle" Speaker of the House Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. When the Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, Jr. Library opened in 1984, Bapst was closed down for a well-deserved restoration. The most striking changes were made in the north end of the building, which became the separate Burns Library of Rare Books and Special Collections. Great care was taken to preserve the character of the building, while making the necessary structural changes to accomodate its new mission.Bapst Reopens: 1987Bapst's restoration lasted three years. The Bapst and Burns libraries were re-opened in 1987, and the renovation won an award that year from the prestigious architectural magazine, "Interiors." Despite the renovations, the special character of Bapst has been maintained. The focus of the collection in Gargan Hall was now contemporary fiction and non-fiction. Programs promoting reading were held and there was an extensive paperback collection featuring mysteries and science fiction.Bapst Becomes the Art Library: 1993
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